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Call it the NBA's way of easing the transition for New Orleans basketball fans: The city's basketball future will meet its past when the NBA returns to Louisiana this fall after a 23-year absence.

The Utah Jazz will open the 2002-03 season on Oct. 30 by welcoming the New Orleans Hornets to their new bayou home, the city the Jazz abandoned in 1979. New Orleans, which lured the Hornets away from Charlotte, last played host to a regular-season game on April 6, 1970, when Milwaukee beat the Jazz, 140-131, before a crowd of 4,006.

Basketball fans with long memories will even recognize the visitors' uniforms. "It'll be great. We'll wear the old Jazz uniforms down there, [with] all the different colors and stuff on them," said Jazz coach Jerry Sloan. "It'll be kind of neat to open down there. We might even wear them the whole year."

Well, probably not. The Jazz, who released their schedule on Thursday, will switch back to their current garb for the other 81 games, starting the next night in Atlanta.

Hmmm....I'm mixed. It will sure bring back some memories to see those old uni's trot out on the floor. But then again it will help me add a little bit of "ummph" to my booing because it will be a front-and-center reminder of losing the team 23 years ago.

Those retro uni's may say "New Orleans Jazz" instead of "Utah Jazz". Now, before you laugh at me, consider last season's retro uniforms when the Lakers wore the old Minneapolis outfits that actually had the letter "M" for Minneapolis. Also, the Texas Rangers will go retro this year and sport the old Washington Senators unis, with a "W" on the cap and the word "Washington" across the chest.

I know that this is a tad far-fetched, and that the Utah Jazz probably won't go for it, but that would be a truly classy way to pay tribute to the city of New Orleans and the fans.

I'd bet a dollar to a dount that there is some kind of ceremony planned to honor Pistol Pete. Makes all the sense in the world while the Jazz franchise and Hot Rod Hundley are here to tip off the NBAs return to NOLA.

I didn't really think too much about this when I first read it at 6 in the morning, but yeah, there are going to be some mixed feelings about this.

In any event, no matter what uniforms the Jazz wear, there will be mixed feelings.

No idea whether the uniforms will include Utah, New Orleans or just sport a city-less Jazz logo. I would think that if they are going to the trouble to do retro to reintroduce us to the NBA that it will be authentic to the last uniforms worn by the Jazz, so I would imagine they would say New Orleans.

Truthfully, I don't view that as a slap in the face. Too much time has gone by and Battistone's long gone. If he were still involved, I wouldn't hesitate to think that there was ill will behind the uniforms.

But in this case, since the league knew the Jazz would have to open on the road, I think the league took steps to have the Jazz open in New Orleans and wear the retro uniforms as a way to celebrate our return to the NBA.

I think you're right ours didn't have N.O. on them, say-what. It can say Utah. I'm ok with that. It will be nice to see those unis again. Ya'll are getting me pumped up for this game. Its going to be great. I can't wait. Three months is not that far off really. By the time we get into Saints season a little it will be time to tip off for this game.

Originally posted by Harvey Hornet I'd bet a dollar to a dount that there is some kind of ceremony planned to honor Pistol Pete. Makes all the sense in the world while the Jazz franchise and Hot Rod Hundley are here to tip off the NBAs return to NOLA.

Harvey, it would be the bomb if they did that. Man, I don't have DIRECTV, but I've got to see this game! I've gotta be real with you, I'm a little envious having to be here on the west coast when this matchup takes place. Would love just to feel the electricity of the city. Man!!

BTW, there's a book called "I Remember Pete Maravich" by author Mike Towle with Cumberland House publishers, which is a chronicle of Pete's life, but more than that.

It's based on personal recollections of the Pistol by people and players who knew him. It touches on his boyhood days growing up in North Carolina with his dad coaching there; to his decision to go to LSU and all the "madness" there; basketball in the South; through his pro days with Atlanta and of course, the Jazz; noting that he was the pioneer of what we call Showtime in the NBA; his relationship with his dad; his conversion to Christ, and on and on. It's one big history lesson.

I guarantee you one thing; if you read this book, it will make you so much MORE pumped for that opener on the 30th of October (as hard as that may be to believe), you won't be able to stand yourself. I'm getting chills just thinking about it, and I'm 3,000 miles away. If you're a big Pistol fan, no doubt about it, this is a must read for you.

Spongey, maybe you can post this as a sticky for anyone who may be interested. Thanx

Originally posted by Harvey Hornet I'd bet a dollar to a dount that there is some kind of ceremony planned to honor Pistol Pete. Makes all the sense in the world while the Jazz franchise and Hot Rod Hundley are here to tip off the NBAs return to NOLA.

I have mixed feelings about the retro unis. I want to boo the heck out of the Jazz, but it will be tougher seeing our old unis. It will probably bring back many memories. What a fun game that will be. I cannot wait!!!!!!!

Originally posted by RENFO
Say-what! Thanks for the picture. It's sweeeet!! It brings back a LOT of memories.

WOO HOO!! The JAZZ are coming back to New Orleans!! It will be surreal! I still have an old JAZZ MARAVICH jersey. I might wear it that night only. My BD is on the way. He better sign that extension! The game's the night before Haloween! It will be INSANE in the Arena!!! Go early & PARTY!PARTY!PARTY!!!(I'm starting this weekend)